Paul O'Donovan is an Irish representative lightweight rower, an Olympic medallist and a three-time world champion. He first won a world championship in the men's lightweight single sculls at the 2016 World Rowing Championships. Together with his brother Gary, he won silver in the Men's lightweight double sculls at the 2016 Summer Olympics, and gold in the same discipline at the 2018 World Rowing Championships. He was also world champion in lightweight double sculls with Fintan McCarthy at the 2019 World Rowing Championships.